The New York Knicks are in San Antonio for the NBA Finals, facing the Spurs for the first time since 1999. New York enters with an 11-game winning streak, outscoring opponents by 262 points combined across that stretch.
For a team riding that kind of momentum, the last thing anyone wants is a health scare before Game 2 even arrives.
Jalen Brunson opened the scoring in Game 1 with a 3-pointer on the very first possession, setting the tone early. But the good feelings did not last long.
Late in the first quarter, Brunson twisted his ankle and headed straight to the locker room, sending Knicks fans everywhere into full panic mode.
Jalen Brunson Returns to Court After Ankle Scare in NBA Finals Game 1
GettyKnicks Fans Receive Positive Jalen Brunson Update After Locker Room Scare
Per ESPN’s Ian Begley, Brunson returned to the court from the locker room shortly after. The quick turnaround was a relief. Brunson has been through ankle issues before this season, and each time, the question is the same: how bad is it?
This is the same right ankle Brunson sprained twice earlier in the season, including one that kept him out for roughly a month. That history is exactly why Knicks fans hold their breath every time he hits the deck. The playoff stakes just make it louder.
After the latest updates, he looks ready to check in soon.
New York has not won a championship since 1973, and this run to the Finals, sweeping the Cavaliers and riding that historic point differential, is the closest they have been in over 50 years. Brunson is the engine of all of it.
Why Brunson’s Health Matters So Much to the Knicks’ Finals Run
Under Brunson this postseason, the Knicks have the best point differential in NBA playoff history. Remove him, and the entire offensive structure changes.
Without Brunson, New York loses not just their leading scorer but also the primary playmaker and decision-maker in crunch situations. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby are capable, but neither runs this team the way Brunson does.
Brunson himself acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting that Spurs guard Stephon Castle’s “intensity and tenacity are special” and that he is someone you have to specifically game plan for. That kind of matchup demands Brunson at full health.
The fact that he came back at all in Game 1 is a good sign, but Game 2 is next, and the series is still very much alive. Brunson’s availability going forward is something to watch closely, because in a series this big, against a Spurs team this talented, the Knicks cannot afford to find out what they look like without him.
Knicks Fans Receive Positive Jalen Brunson Update After Locker Room Scare